Safety door arm



May 19,;1953- J. J. VAUGHN SAFETY DOOR ARM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 5, 1949 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH J. VAUGHN ATTORNEYS 9, 1953 J. J. VAUGHN 2,639,143

. SAFETY DOOR ARM Filed July 5, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet .2

INVENTOR. JOSEPH J.VAUGHN ATTO R NEYS Patented May 19, 1953 SAFETY DOOR ARM Joseph J. Vaughn, Detroit, Mich, assignor, by mesnc assignments, to McKee Door Company, Aurora, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application July 5, 1949, Serial No. 103,043

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a safety door arm and more particularly, to a releasable connection between an actuator and an overhead type garage door.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a releasable connection between a horizontally movable actuator and an arm connected to the top of an overhead type garage door.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide in construction of the type referred to a releasable connection designed to disengage upon establishment of an adjustable predetermined force.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus of the character described in which disengagement between the parts is prevented when the parts are in one of two limiting positions.

It is a feature of the present invention to provide a releasable connector of the character described comprising a hook and a yieldable latch element adapted to engage opposite sides of a transversely extending member, the hook serving to establish positive driving force in one direction and the yieldable latch element serving to establish force in the other direction which is limited in amount.

More specifically, it is a feature of the present invention to provide a pivoted yieldable latch in association with a hook, said latch having a pin engaging surface inclined in a direction to operate as camming means to force disengagemerit between the pin and hook when the latch element yields.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: p

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view with parts broken away illustrating the complete structure for operating overhead type garage doors.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevation of the releasing mechanism.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the releasing mechanism shown associated with the top oi a garage door, the parts being shown in the posi- Referring now to the drawings and particularly Figure 1, there is illustrated a portion or a garage l8 having a door opening l2 therein which is closed by an overhead type door indicated generally at [4. In this figure the door is shown as composed of articulated panels l5. The door panels l5 are provided with rollers l6 which engage in a track ll, the track having a vertical portion 18, a, horizontal portion I8, and a curved interconnecting portion 20.

Located above the horizontally extending portions 18 of the track is anelongated threaded member 22 connected to suitable driving means herein illustrated at 24. Mounted for longitudinal movement on the threaded member 22 is a horizontally movable actuator 26. Extending upwardly and rearwardly from the top panel of the door when the door is in closed position, is an arm 28. As best seen in Figures 3' and 4, the arm 28 may be composed of separate elements 28 and 30- interconnected as indicated at 32 to provide for effective adjustment of the arm 28. One end of the arm is pivoted between inwardly extending cars 84 by a bolt 38 or the like.

Referring now to Figure 2 the actuator 26 is provided with a pair or depending flanges 48 between which extends a transverse pin 42. line inner end of the arm 28 is provided with a hook 44 shaped to engage the pin 42 and to fit around an angular portion thereof in excess of 180 degrees. Accordingly, as the actuator 26 moves to the right as seen in Figure 2, a positive rigid driving connection will be established between the actuator 28 and the arm 28. This is the direction of motion when the door is being raised to its open position.

A latch structure comprising a lever 50 is pivoted to the arm 28 adjacent its book as indicated at 52.' Atits lower end the lever 50 is interconnected with the arm 28 by a tension spring 54 which preferably is adjustable as to tension,

means for this purpose being indicated by the wing nut 56 illustrated in Figure 3.

Inasmuch as the hook end of the arm 28 is received between the flanges 40 and since the lever 50 is pivoted to one side of the arm 28, it is 7 pin 42.

desirable to provide the latch element 58 offset with respect to the lever 50 in the manner illustrated in Figure 6. In this figure the latch element 58 is illustrated as welded to the end of element 58 is inclined as indicated at 68 and it engages a side of the pin 42 opposite to that portion of the pin engaged by the hook 44. With the parts shown in the relationship illustrated in Figure 2 it will be apparent that the pin 42 is engaged between the hook and the latch and cannot be released except by movement of the lever 60.

The tension of the spring 54 is adjusted so that with the actuator 26 travelling to the left as seen in Figure 2, a predetermined resistance to motion of the door will cause extension of the spring 54 sufficiently to release the mechanism carried by the arm 28 from the pin 42. Moreover, it will be observed that as the latch element 58 yields 50 as to provide sufficient space between its inclined end surface 60 and the inner surface of the hook 44, the pressure against the inclined surface set up by the pin 42 is in a direction tending to cause the arm 28 to swing in a clockwise direction as seen in Figure 2, and thereby to release the connecting structure at the end of the arm 28 from the actuator.

There is accordingly provided a construction in which the actuator is directly and positively connected to the door for lifting movement of the door. However, when the actuator moves in the direction to cause the door to move downwardly toward closed position, the actuator is disengaged from the door as the door encounters a predetermined resistance. Thus for example, if the operator inadvertently stands in the path of the door or if the automobile is in the door opening when the door starts the downward motion, the actuator may become disengaged so as to prevent injury to the operator or the automobile.

After the arm 28 has been released from the actuator the actuator may continue its travel to the end of the threaded member 22 at which point it will engage a suitable switch controlling a motor driving the threaded member 22.

In order that disengagement between the upper end of the arm 28 from the actuator 26 will not permit the arm to drop downwardly so as to strike the top of the automobile or possibly a person standing in the doorway, the end of the arm 28 received between the ears 34 is shaped to provide an end surface which abuts a surface of the attaching bracket 34. Figure 4 the end of the arm 28' is beveled off as indicated at 64, this beveled surface forming an abutment surface for engaging a transverse surface formed by the portion 65 of the bracket. Thus the arm 28, although its free end is disengaged from the actuator 26, will remain in partially elevated position so that it will not injure an automobile or person standing in the garage.

In automatically operated overhead garage doors of the type described it is desirable for the actuating mechanism to serve as means for preventin unauthorized entry from the outside when the door is closed. It will be appreciated that with the releasable mechanism thus far described, upward movement of the garage door when it is in closed position would effect release from the arm 28 and the actuator 26. In order to prevent this it is desirable to provide means operable only when the garage door is in sub stantially fully closed position which will prevent separation between the actuator and the arm. Different means may be provided for this purpose.

In Figure 2 the end of the hook 44 is provided As best seen in with a surface 10 which comes into close proximity to the underside of the actuator 26 between the flanges 40. The parts in Figure 2 are illustrated in the position occupied when the door is in fully closed position, at which time the actuator 26 will have come to rest and will be retained against longitudinal displacement by the threaded shaft 22. It will be observed that if a force is applied directly to the door tending to raise the door, this force is transmitted through the arm 28. If the force is sufliciently strong it will overcome the tension of spring 54 and will cause the latch element 60 to yield. However, due to the close proximity between the surface 10 and the bottom surface of the actuator, the arm 28 cannot be forced upwardly sufficiently to release the hook 44 from the pin 42.

As an alternate construction for accomplishing the same result, a transverse plate 15 may be provided to extend partially or completely across the space between flanges 40, thus defining a partial pocket with which the hooked end 44 of the arm 28 becomes aligned when the door is in closed position. The parts are illustrated in this relationship in Figure 4. If now a force is applied directly to the door l4 attempting to raise the same this force will be transmitted through the arm 28 and will tend to cause the hook 44 to disengage from the pin 42. Although in this case it is assumed that there is sufiicient room above the hooked end 44 to permit disengagement between the pin 42 and the hook 44, the hooked end of the arm 28 will nevertheless be retained in the pocket partially defined by the transverse plate 15. This will prevent unauthorized opening movement of the door 14.

The drawings and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the improved safety pin opposed to said hook, yieldable means urging said latch against said pin, said latch being yieldable upon exertion of a predetermined force between said latch and pin to release said member from said pin, and a lock for said member effective to prevent displacement of said hook and pin when said structure is at one limit of its movement, said locking comprising interengaging portions on said hook and part.

2. Releasable connector structure for an overhead garage door comprising a movable part having a pin extending transversely to the direction of movement, a member having a hook at one end engaging said pin, a latch movably secured to said member having a surface engaging said pin opposed to said hook, yieldable means urging said latch against said pin, said latch being yieldable upon exertion of a predetermined force between said latch and pin to release said member from said pin, and a lock for said member effective to prevent displacement of said hook and pin when said structure is at one limit of its movement, said lock comprising a portion of said hook movable into close proximity to a portion of said part when said structure is at one limit of its motion, said portions of said hook and part abutting to prevent separation between said hook and pin.

3. Releasable connector structure for an overhead garage door comprising a movable part having a pin extending transversely to the direction of movement, a member having a hook at one end engaging said pin, a latch movably secured to said member having a surface engaging said pin opposed to said hook, yieldable means urging said latch against said pin, said latch being yieldable upon exertion of a predetermined force between said latch and pin to release said member from said pin, and a lock for said member effective to prevent displacement of said hook and pin when said structure is at one limit of its movement, said lock comprising a pocket on said part adjacent said pin into which the hook end of said member moves upon reaching one limiting position.

JOSEPH J. VAUGHN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Bartlett et a1. Aug. 14, 1894 Cornwell Apr. 2, 1929 Clark Sept. 16, 1930 Beeman et a1. July 4, 1933 Francis et al. Aug. 15, 1933 Blodgett Nov. 7, 1933 Kahliff June 22, 1937 Babcock Nov. 1 1940 Konter May 28, 1946 Schirmer Mar. 6, 1951 Sauter Sept. 4, 1951 

